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Man sues sheriff's department for using excessive force

A man has filed a lawsuit after he says a Georgia deputy failed to identify himself while ramming his car and kicking him

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Updated: 3:24 PM EDT Jun 28, 2017

Man sues sheriff's department for using excessive force

A man has filed a lawsuit after he says a Georgia deputy failed to identify himself while ramming his car and kicking him

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Updated: 3:24 PM EDT Jun 28, 2017

Man sues sheriff's department for using excessive force

A man has filed a lawsuit after he says a Georgia deputy failed to identify himself while ramming his car and kicking him

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Updated: 3:24 PM EDT Jun 28, 2017

GUYTON, Ga. —

A Georgia man is suing Chatham County, Effingham County, the Chatham County Sheriff, Effingham County Sheriff and a Chatham County Sheriff’s Deputy after he says that deputy used excessive force during a traffic stop.

In the lawsuit, filed in Federal Court this month, Anthony Oliver claims that a Chatham County Sheriff’s Deputy failed to identify himself while ramming his car, kicked Oliver in the face while Oliver was on the ground and threw Oliver’s body camera he was wearing into a nearby body of water during an arrest in January.

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Anthony Oliver was originally arrested by the Southern Georgia Regional Task Force for an outstanding DUI warrant from California on October 28, 2016 and again three weeks later, eventually getting a court date to appear in the Superior Court of California on February 13, 2017.

On January 23, 2017, Oliver was driving on Highway 21 in Port Wentworth at about 9:00 a.m. when the lawsuit states a large black SUV rammed his vehicle from behind. Oliver then got out of the vehicle to assess the damage, when the driver of the SUV pulled out a gun and pointed it at Oliver. Oliver then got back into his vehicle and drove down Highway 17 while calling 911 to report the incident, never believing the driver of the SUV was a law enforcement officer.

While driving, Oliver called 911 and an Effingham County Sheriff’s office dispatcher informed him he was being followed by a Sheriff’s Deputy. The dispatcher told Oliver to pull over and turn off his vehicle, and Oliver followed those directions and pulled over on Highway 17 in the Guyton area. Before leaving the vehicle, Oliver turned on his body camera, which took several minutes. At that point, the lawsuit states that the black SUV rammed Oliver’s vehicle twice.

The lawsuit then states that Deputy Franklin Rollins Jr., told Oliver to leave the vehicle and get on the ground. When Oliver followed those directions, the suit claims Rollins kicked him, breaking two of Oliver’s teeth and causing a large cut to his face. The body camera footage allegedly shows Deputy Rollins rip off the camera and throw it into a nearby body of water as well.

Oliver says at that point, about eight to 10 other law enforcement officers began kicking and striking him with fists and a Billy club while he was handcuffed, causing a back injury. He says members of the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office stood by and did nothing while this was happening.

Oliver says he needed immediate medical attention for the injuries but was taken to the Chatham County Jail instead. He was examined at about 11:30 a.m. by medical personnel at the jail, who stated he needed to be taken to a hospital. However, that didn’t happen until “hours” later, where staff determined he had a fracture back.

Oliver, is now suing the defendants for violation of federal Civil Rights. Deputy Rollins is being sued for use of excessive force and deliberate indifference to medical needs and both counties and sheriff’s offices involved are being sued to provide better training. Oliver is seeking damages from all defendants as well.

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office and Chatham County Attorney told WJCL 22 News that they do not comment on pending litigation, but Sheriff John Wilcher told the Savannah Morning News that the sheriff’s office conducted an internal investigation and that “everything he alleges is untrue.”